[BSC] Bullet Discussion

Well Met, Fellows. [Image: Waving_Hand_Sign_Emoji_Icon_ios10_large....1542436005] [Image: black-sun-with-rays_2600.png]

This is a testing thread for the Bullet Driver, which works by using its height to cause Disk to Layer contact with the opponent. It's become somewhat of a popular part in Classic so I figured I should test out just how good it really is, as well as a few combos I figured could counter it. Similarly the Wolborg thread I made earlier, this one will also have a video to go with it:
You can also see more of Bullet in action in Ghosts & Geists, a recent tournament I attended.

The combo I decided to use for all of these tests was Wolborg ßumper Bullet, with Wolborg's raised profile and ßumper's multiple contact points being used to maximise the effect of the Disk to Layer contact. I go into more detail about this in the video but I believe this is Bullet's best setup.

Bullet vs Revolve

Wolborg ßumper Bullet vs. Acid Anubis Knuckle Revolve
Wb.ß.Bl: 14 wins (1 KO, 9 Burst, 4 OS)
A2.K.R: 6 wins (1 KO, 5 OS)
1 tie redone
Wb.ß.Bl win rate: 70%

Wolborg ßumper Bullet vs. Driger S Heavy Revolve
Wb.ß.Bl: 14 wins (2 KO, 6 Burst, 6 OS)
DrS.H.R: 6 wins (all OS)
Wb.ß.Bl win rate: 70%

Occasionally Revolve was able to outspin Bullet, but for the most part Bullet was able to win either via Burst or 230-style OS. A more burst-resistant Layer like Driger S didn't burst quite as often as A2 but it was still quite vulnerable.

Bullet vs KO Attack

Wolborg ßumper Bullet vs. Xcalibur Heavy Quick'
Wb.ß.Bl: 13 wins (2 KO, 2 Burst, 9 OS)
X.H.Qc': 7 wins (1 KO, 1 Burst, 5 OS)
3 ties redone
Wb.ß.Bl win rate: 65%


Bullet did a good job at resisting both KOs and Bursts from Xcalibur, mostly because it was hitting ßumper rather than the Layer. What's interesting though is that with enough solid hits early on Bullet could be destabilized and outspun by even something like Xcalibur on Qc'.

Counters to Bullet

Based on how Bullet works, I came up with 3 general combo types that could probably defeat it: Orbit combos, which could avoid contact with the Disk and destabilize Bullet, Tornado Stallers, which would similarly avoid contact and outlast it, and opposite spin combos, which would not be as affected by hitting the Disk and outspin due to the height advantage.

Wolborg ßumper Bullet vs. Yegdrion Y2 Gravity Orbit
Wb.ß.Bl: 10 wins (1 KO, 9 OS)
Y2.G.O: 10 wins (all OS)
Wb.ß.Bl win rate: 50%

This normally came down to which combo was launched second. Yegdrion Y2 is pretty much Hasbro's Neptune, so I was probably a bit too focused on making sure the Orbit combo didn't burst (which, to be fair, it didn't). Maybe using something with more Stamina like Odin would give better results.

Wolborg ßumper Bullet vs. Deathscyther Spread Iron
Wb.ß.Bl: 4 wins (all Burst)
D.S.Ir: 16 wins (all OS)
Wb.ß.Bl win rate: 20%

These tests were done with a worn Deathscyther, since I don't want to wear down my mint ones, so with that being said this could easily have been an 100% winrate with a mint Deathscyther.

Wolborg ßumper Bullet vs. Dragoon F Polish Absorb
Wb.ß.Bl: 8 wins (1 KO, 6 Burst, 1 OS)
DgF.P.Ab: 12 wins (all OS)
6 ties redone
Wb.ß.Bl win rate: 40%

I spent the first few rounds figuring out how to launch Dragoon properly here, you need to launch it a little harder than usual so it will stall a little bit and hit the Layer as it comes down off the Tornado Ridge. This can be kind of risky since it increases the chances of Dragoon bursting, but if done right the best Bullet can manage against it is a tie.

Bullet vs Dm-S

A few days before doing these tests, I had traded for a Dm-S and realized that it can be really tall - 31mm compared to Hybrid's 32mm and Bullet's 33mm. I wondered if something like Valtyrek Armed Dimension-S could serve as kind of a triple-purpose Bullet + Bullet counter + Burst Attacker so I decided to test it out against Bullet.

Wolborg ßumper Bullet vs. Valkyrie Armed Dimension-S (tall mode)
Wb.ß.Bl: 7 wins (1 Burst, 6 OS)
V.A.Dm-S: 13 wins (2 KO, 1 Burst, 10 OS)
Wb.ß.Bl win rate: 35%

It turns out that trying to sliding shoot this combo and going for the KO/Burst isn't the best idea against this particular Bullet combo (though that's probably a different story vs the more common Deathscyther setup), but what I did accidentally discover is that Dm-S can actually stall Wb.ß.Bl out more often than not.
I've had a theory for a long time that if someone used Bullet on any Phoenix that the bullet part will counter/negate the armor and vice versa
(Nov. 23, 2019  9:50 PM)YishYash Wrote: Hmm. Gg.12.Bl

12 is not allowed in Burst Classic, so this combo is illegal in Burst Classic. Plus 12 would destroy beys.
(Nov. 23, 2019  9:56 PM)BuilderROB Wrote:
(Nov. 23, 2019  9:50 PM)YishYash Wrote: Hmm. Gg.12.Bl

12 is not allowed in Burst Classic, so this combo is illegal in Burst Classic. Plus 12 would destroy beys.

I know. I'm just saying 12 on bullet, with a heavy layer would slaughter other layers its against. What about pP.12.Bl?
(Nov. 23, 2019  10:21 PM)YishYash Wrote:
(Nov. 23, 2019  9:56 PM)BuilderROB Wrote: 12 is not allowed in Burst Classic, so this combo is illegal in Burst Classic. Plus 12 would destroy beys.

I know. I'm just saying 12 on bullet, with a heavy layer would slaughter other layers its against. What about pP.12.Bl?

That would scratch up beys it went up against.
(Nov. 23, 2019  10:32 PM)BuilderROB Wrote:
(Nov. 23, 2019  10:21 PM)YishYash Wrote: I know. I'm just saying 12 on bullet, with a heavy layer would slaughter other layers its against. What about pP.12.Bl?

That would scratch up beys it went up against.

Thats my point.
What about Wolborg 0D Bl?
(Nov. 24, 2019  5:46 AM)ReekoBlader Wrote: What about Wolborg 0D Bl?
This is classic. So no number/core disks and frames
Ohhh ok
I forgot about that...